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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Introvert to extrovert to introvert ish…

Hi friends,

I often write about how indispensable technology is in my life. I’m addicted reliant on technology, it makes so many things so much easier. But…I don’t think it always is a plus. Technology has allowed me to do a lot of great things but it also is a gateway to introvertism (I made up that word but I like it so I’m keeping it).

I used to be way more shy and less confident than I am now (don’t get me wrong, I’m not brimming with confidence now, but I’m better than I was). Then I got older and stopped caring as much about what idiots did or said or thought, I became less shy. I became more of an extrovert. I became surer of myself. I trusted my decisions. I also embraced technology more and more. I found myself emailing, texting and IMing more and making phone calls less.

Lately, I’ve noticed something about myself, I seem reluctant to make a phone call if I have the option to email or IM.I think this started when I was on mat leave, it was often easier to email or send a text from my smartphone while I was nursing the baby or while he was napping. It was not always easy to talk on the phone and sometimes I just wanted quiet. I could compose my thoughts better and more importantly , share photos too. Now that I’ve gone back to work, I still find it easier to email, especially if it means avoiding speaking to someone with a particularly aggressive personality. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I prefer not to have unnecessary stress.

I’m comfortable with my re-introduction to introvertism. Technology has given me options for communicating. I still use the phone but I like knowing that I don’t always have to. Email lets me think about what I want to say and do it more clearly than I may have on the phone but nothing beats a great phone call with a friend or colleague. I love hearing the smile in someone’s voice. Just the other day one phone call turned my crappy day around. Hearing The Boy say “mama” on the phone diffuses a bad day.